Shock-absorbing transmission



July1,l930.l 'l P SEYMo-LIJR 'A I- u 1,7595276 SHOCK ABSORBING TRANSMISSION Filed Aug; 26. 1926 EYM ow?.

Paten-tedV July l, 1930 UNITED STATES BENJAMIN r.' sEYIi/Ioun,` ory WASHINGTON; DISTRICT ory COLUMBIA' SHOCK-ABSORBING TRANSMISSION l Applicatiqrrfiied August 26, 192e. serial No. 131,615.7

My invention relatestoa shock absorbing transmission# lIn other fWOrds, the'means transferring power from the driving to the drivenelements is yieldingly connected to bothsothatif either element experiences a shock the same isfsubstantially completely absorbed by the transmission means Without aecting the other element. f

In the drawing the devicejh'as been illusle trated as applied to a vehicle-Wheel when the h ub constitutes the driving element and the Wheel rim the drivenV element, but it is evident that many otherapplications 'of the'invention are possible. `For'instance, if the l5 drivingelementvvere a large gear Wheel or a pulley transmitting power through the shock absorbing transmission to a drive shaft, the conditions would be reversed and thehub in the drawing Would be replaced by ashaft as the driven element.` f i. In the accompanying dravvingthe presentinvention has been illustratedas applied to avehiclewheel. Y .Y Figure 1 represents a fragmentary side elevation of kthe Wheel; l Figure 2, a section along line 2 7- 2 of Figurel- Figure 3, a view similan to Figure 2 with the springs in tensioned position; Figure 4, a sectionalview similar to Figure 2 of a modified formv ofthe invention, and .l Figure 5, a sectional Viewl similar to Figure 2 0f still another modification. I Inthe drawing reference'numeral .1 0 repre'sentsthe driving member,y in-this case the wheel hub, andnumeral 11 represents they driven memb er, vvhich, in this easel )the Wheel rim.

withy inner and 'outer plate elements 17 1 8 rigidly securedfto a central drum 20. The v'axial length of the drum coincides; with the 'Width betweenthehub plates13iand 1 4 and Tothe hub fla-nge V12 irs-'secured infany suit- The Wheel'rimbrydrmnwmembr. 1l i r 'any Suitable Construction, ,but ischen@ shown.

the drum hasv slidingv engagement with the latter. The inside diameter of theldru'm is l considerably greater than theoutside diam# eterof the hub 10 so as to provide an annular spring chamber 21. The spring chamber containsa nest of springs 22, lWhich springs in Figure 2 are shown as spiral or fiat clock springs the eX- terior ends of Which aresecurely anchored, as

at 23, inthe vdru'm,vvhile their interiorends are anchored, as at 24:, vin a sleeve 25lsur- '60 rounding the hub 1'0 andnon-revolubly con-l nected therewith as bya spline 30. Thesleeve is preferably shorter than the drum, and a nut 26 threaded onthe hub is providedfor adjusting the axial lposition of the lsleeve on the hub and at the vsame timetension the springs, as best seen in `Figure 3. `In` this figureit is thus demonstrated that the flat spiral springs have taken the form of volute springs. .I 2 i Ji, 70 Evidently volute springs may be used in'- stead ofthe flat spiral .ones,vor, as seen yin Figure 4:, both yspiral 27 andvolute springs 28 may be used. vVVhenthe driving member or hub 1O.-re-'75 volves, this movement is'transmitted through the springs tothe drum20 and vvheelriml 1l."

If `the latter AWere the driving member the v4action Wouldbe reversed and the movement i transmitted through the springs 22 tothe hub 410, Vwhich then becomes the driven member; Any side'or radial shock to any ofthe members vvill be taken up by the springs andthe snubbers or helpers 31secured on the hubi lwish here to refer to, some of my recently Vy issued patents 'somewhat related to this icon.- struction and in connectionvvith Whichit may be used, namely.:f y' l PatentNo. 1,620,136; dated March'S, 1927, L: Combinedl resilientftransmission and bearing. Patent No. 1,637,392; dated August, 2, 1927, Combined resilient suspensionand transmis'- sion. .f

y,'late'nt'No. 1,643,682; dated September '27, f 1927, Combined'resilientbearing and drive,

f" Patent Nail-19,382; .dated Julyl 2, i929,

Shock absorbing transmission. s v Y It should be ynoted thatvvhen the 'device is incorporated on avehicle- Wheel a load onthe hub will cause' 'its axs'to'be out of alinement l between adjacent springs.

The sleeve may be left free to travel axially on the hub without being locked when the nut 26 maybe dispensed with altogether. 0n the other hand, it is evident that theaxial adjustment yof the springs will increase the carrying capacity of the springs, whetherof Vthe spiral or the volute type.

In Figure 5 is shown avmodiedform of the invention in which the sleeve 36 instead of being splined on the hub 35 is threaded thereon, using preferably a thread of very high pitch'or lead. In all other respects the construction is as described in connection with the other figures. In this particular case the sleeve with the springs is first mounted Centrally on the hub. VVDirectly the hub or driving member starts revolving, the sleeve rst travels axially in or out on the hub thereby tensioning the springs which then take the shape shown in Figure. As soon as the spring tension corresponds to the load the rotation will be communicated to the driven member or wheel rim. When the hubV stops revolving, the sleeve' returns to itsv originalV central position. Y l Y l i It is to be understood that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construetion and arrangement Vof parts without departing from the spirit of my invention; and, therefore,I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claims'.

What I vclaim is:

1. AV shock-absorbing transmission com-v prising a driving member, a-driven member andv shook absorbing and transmission elements; said members having relative sliding connection with each other'in radial direction, one of said members having va .cylindris cal portion surrounding the other of said members and forming a chamber therewith, a

sleeve non-revolubly connected with said other. member, said elements `'comprising springs spirally wound andaxiallyadjustable housed 'in the chamber, th'etransmissvion elements having positive connection at'oneend with the first of said members and at the other end with said sleevefandthe1 shock absorbing elementshaving positivev connection with said sleeve only. l 4

' 2. A shock-absorbing transmission comprising a driving,` member, a driven member and shock absorbing and transmission elements; said members having relative sliding connectionwith each other 'in 'radial direc-V tion, one of said members having a cylindrical portion, surroundingthe otherjof said members and; formingV a chamber 'therewith-f,

ing the position of the sleeve withrelation to said other member. Y

3. A shocl -absorb1ng transmission for vehicle wheels, comprising a hub, a wheel rim,

the hub andthe wheel rim being provided with interengaging sliding connection in radial direction, asleeve slidably but nonrevolubly mounted on the hub, a drum -in said Wheel rim surrounding the` hub and sleeve and forming a chamberftherewith, spirally wound springs housed in said chamber and having positive connection withvsaid sleeve and said drum, respectively, andmeans'for adjusting the axial Vposition ofthe sleeve with relation to the hub. .y Y l' 4. In a shock-absorbing transmission, a drivingv and driven means equipped with a pluralityvo'f vertically disposed resilient elements associated with a tensioning means, some of said resilient elements being non-rotatably'mountedas to said driving and driven means and the other elements being secured to one of said means only. Y Y

5.`In a shock-absorbing transmission, a driving and driven means, and a perpendicularly wound coil spring-operatively engaging said driving and driven means, the ,said spring being also associatedwith a tensioning means and another similarspring having one end securedto one of said elements.

.6. AV shock-absorbing transmission com prising a` driving member,va driven member, shock I absorbing elements and transmission elements; said members having relativesliding connection with ,each other in, radial direction, one of said members having a cylindrical portion surrounding the other offsaidV of saidV members',saidjshock absorbing yelements having positive connection with oneof said members only.y f

-7. Afshock-absorbilng transmission for vehicle wheels, comprisingfafhub,awheel rim, the hub fand the? wheel rimvbeing provided with interengaging sliding. connection in radial direction, a sleeve lslidably butnonrevolublymounted-on the hub, adrumin said wheel rim surrounding therhub and sleeve 'and' forming a chamber' therewith, spirally wound springsfhous'sed in said` chamber and having positive.,connectionfwith said sleeve and said drum, respectively, snubber springs having positive connection with said sleeve, and means `for adjusting the axial position of the sleeve with relation tothe hub.

8. Ina shock absorbing transmission, dri v ing and driven means, a spring perpendiouv larly and coaxially disposed relatively to said driving and driven means and operatively engaging said driven means, said spring bef ing associated with an axial tensioning means non-revolubly mounted on said driving means.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

BENJAMIN F. SEYMOUR.` 

